SIX YEARS’ HARD LABOUR

Taranaki Daily News, 29 May 1933, Page 6

SIX YEARS’ HARD LABOUR

SENTENCE ON NURSE KERR ADMINISTERED POISON TO CHILD. VERDICT GIVEN AT THIRD TRIAL. JUDGE’S ANSWER TO CRITICISM. By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, May 27. Found guilty in the Supreme Court yesterday after three trials, Nurse Elspeth Kerr, aged 46, charged on three counts with administering poison to her foster-child Betty, was sentenced by Mr. Justice Herdman this morning to six' years’ hard labour. The judge said that all poison cases were of first rate gravity. “Had the medical men who in the early stages attended the child not insisted that she should go Into hospital the ensuing consequences might have been more serious for her and more’ serious for you,” said the judge to the’prisoner. “When she was beyond your reach she speedily recovered, and now, happily* she is apparently perfectly well. With the verdict of the jury I entirely agree. It is difficult to see how any intelligent juryman who was honest and had. any respect for his oath could have coma to any other decision.” The judge also told the prisoner that but for the fact that she had been in custody for nearly a year the sentence would have been seven years—a fitting punishment for placing the life of a child in danger, and such punishment would serve as a warning to others. “Of course,” added the- judge, “I shall disregard any suggestion that you were responsible in any way for the deaths of Mr. Kerr and Mrs. Day.” His Honour said that in his opinion there was no justification of any land for the adverse criticism passed upon the police prosecution and the Press. As far as he was able to judge the prosecution was scrupulously fair, and the police, under the direction of Inspector Cummings, deserved to be complimented for their ability and efficiency in preparing an extremely complicated arid unpleasant case.